“You are. I’m still not happy about how everything went down, but I realized that no matter what is happening, I never want to live a life without you. Hearing you tell me you love me is a dream come true. I have loved you for years, and I would be an idiot not to grab this opportunity while I have the chance.”
He shakes his head. “This opportunity is never going to leave. I will never leave you. If you give me a chance, I will be devotedto you and only you for the rest of our lives. I’ll be your husband and give you those children you want.”
I smile, wrapping my arms around his neck. “I think we are getting ahead of ourselves there.”
“I don’t,” he says. “This has been a decade in the making. I know we weren’t exactly romantic, but it was a relationship. I didn’t date anyone, and neither did you. I always had my eyes on you, and correct me if I’m wrong, but you always had your eyes on me.”
“It’s true. Even when I told you I was going to start dating, I was hoping you would step forward and show your feelings then. When you didn’t, I worried that I had wasted too much time waiting for you. I tried to date. I really did. Pete was a good guy, but not right for me. Clint is an amazing friend, but he could tell my heart wasn’t in it. Truth is, I compared every single one of them to you, and they never compared. You were always miles above them.” I lean forward, pressing a kiss to his lips. “I only ever wanted you.”
He pulls me closer to him. “I only ever wanted you. I don’t want you to be unhappy, though. I need to know, do you want to move back to Boston? I should have asked you long before now.”
“I do. I miss home. It’s where I’ve always wanted to be. Even when London was on the table, my heart was in Boston,” I admit.
“Good, because it’s been approved. All those interviews? I was trying to figure out who would relocate and which jobs could be done remotely. As of right now, thirty percent of employees are willing to move. Fifty percent can be done remotely for the most part. Twenty percent still will need an office, so we are turning our offices into a satellite office,” he tells me.
“You considered all the employees’ feelings on the subject?” I ask.
He nods “Everyone’s but yours, which was a mistake.”
I smile. “You are incredible. So no one will be losing their jobs?”
“Nope. Everyone will be employed still,” he tells me.
I kiss him again, deepening the kiss. “Well, then I’m happy for the move. I can’t wait to be home.”
“I need to ask, though. Do you want a different job?” He looks a little nervous.
“I don’t want to take a job from anyone, but yes. Eventually I want a different job. Maybe I could even go back and work at the hotel when we move home. I need to be with more people and fewer spreadsheets.”
I nod. “I’ll miss seeing you around all the time, but we will make it happen. I have some ideas about that, but until we move, I still need you as CFO. Are you willing to wait?”
“Well, I waited a decade to be with you. I think I can wait a little longer to find the job of my dreams,” I tell him.
“God, I love you,” he whispers against my lips.
“Prove it then.”
He smirks at me. “Challenge accepted.”
Picking me up, he carries me through his apartment until he is at his couch. Sitting down, he pulls me into his lap.
I settle my legs on either side of his hips as he cups my cheeks, kissing me like he is dying and the only thing that will save him is my last breath.
I kiss him back just as passionately. Having dreamed of this for so long, my body is keyed up. My skin tingles with every brush of his against it. My long hair brushes against my shoulder as he begins to kiss from my mouth down to my neck. My breaths are coming faster as I soak in every single sensation.
Slowly he runs his fingers down my arm until his left hand grips my hip, pulling me in closer to him. I can feel how hard he is between us. I wish I had worn a skirt today. Anything to make the access easier. I want to feel him against me.
He must feel the same because he thrusts up into me, making me groan from the sensation. I rock my hips down onto him, needing more. I need to feel this. To know that this is real. That he feels even an ounce of the desire flooding my system.
I shouldn’t worry, though. The way his glassy eyes meet mine as he picks up the pace tells me that he does. He is as desperate for this contact as I am.
“I love you,” I whisper against his lips before I let my head fall to his shoulder.
“I love you so much, Iris,” he murmurs, pressing a kiss to my head. “So much.”
He groans, his hand at my lower back, pressing me in harder. I feel myself so close.
I’m going to come.
